Normally in mobile messaging applications, such as those that utilize the short messaging service (“SMS”) as defined for Code Division Multiple Access (“CDMA”) systems in TIA/EIA 637-B, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, the mobile device receiving a mobile message will also receive and display an identification of the device or individual who sent the message. This identification is known as the origination address and is commonly referred to as the “from” address. In CDMA-based systems operating under TIA/EIA 637-B, the origination address is derived from the Origination Address parameter defined in sec. 3.4.3.3 of TIA/EIA 637-B.
In addition to receiving and displaying the origination address, a receiving SMS-capable wireless device, e.g., an SMS-capable wireless telephone, may also be programmed to allow the display of an identifier or address to which a reply to the received mobile message may be sent. This identifier is known as the call-back number and is commonly referred to as the “reply” address. In the case of CDMA-based systems, the call-back number is derived from the Call-back Number subparameter defined in sec. 4.5.15 of TIA/EIA 637-B.
The origination address and the call-back number may be in the form of a ten digit number (e.g., when the sending or reply device is a wireless telephone) or in the form of an e-mail address (e.g., when the sending or reply device is a networked or web-enabled device) as described in TIA/EIA-637-B, secs. 3.4.3.3 and 4.5.15.
Oftentimes, the displayed origination address and call-back number are meaningless to a message recipient. For example, in the case of an on-line internet-based mobile messaging service which allows internet-based users to send and receive messages to and from SMS-based wireless devices and also allows the internet-based user to track the delivery status of the SMS-message, such a system will often include an origination address and a call-back number that are meaningless to the recipient in the sense that they do not correspond to the true origination address and call back number of the sender, but rather to the messaging service.
An example of an internet-based mobile messaging service is illustrated in FIG. 1. The mobile messaging application of FIG. 1 allows any individual to send an SMS message to a subscriber's mobile device 104 via an internet web page displayed on terminal 102.
First, the internet web page requests that the user enter the message to be sent to mobile device 104, the mobile number or other identifying information of the receiving wireless device 104, and, optionally, a reply address, such as an e-mail address or mobile telephone number of the user, to which a reply to the message may be delivered.
Once this information has been entered and the user has pressed a “submit” or other equivalent button, the message is directed from internet terminal 102 to a wireless Internet gateway 106. Wireless Internet gateway 106 stores the identity of the originating terminal device, e.g., the IP address of terminal 102, and the reply e-mail address or telephone number of the user, along with a corresponding unique random identification number.
Using the Short Message Point to Point Protocol (“SMPP”) or other appropriate protocol, wireless Internet gateway 106 then sends the message to SMS network 107 via Short Message Service Center (“SMSC”) 108. The origination address and call-back number of the message that is sent to SMS network 107 is derived from the unique identifier assigned to the message at wireless Internet gateway 106 and from the Internet address of wireless Internet Gateway 106. Thus, although important to the proper operation of the service, the origination address and call-back number will appear meaningless to the wireless subscriber 104 when the message is received at receiving wireless device 104 in the sense that they are not the true origination address and callback number. As an example, the origination address and call-back number may appear as “5D79325@v.w” where “5D79325” corresponds to the unique identifier assigned to the message by wireless Internet gateway 106 and “v.w.” is the Internet domain name of wireless Internet gateway 106.